The Pirate's Realm

A pirate crew could be made up of many various positions, and it
could also have people with different skill levels and reasons for being
a crew member. Some of the crew could be hard core pirates from a young
age; some could be recently unemployed sailors, and others might be forced
into the pirate crew against their will. The size of the crew might vary,
based on the ship size, the success of their piracy, and how well they
fight.

Captain- The background of many pirates was
as a sailor in one of the European navies, and from their service under
autocratic commanders, they developed a strong hatred of their incompetent
and abusive style.

A pirate captain had to be cut from a different mold, because previous
experience had taught most that life at sea was harsh enough without an
inexperienced or cruel leader making it worse. He was elected as a sort
of president of this shaky democracy, someone already respected for their
leadership and navigation skills who would be level-headed and decisive
with the pirate crew in the heat of battle.

It was during engagements that this pirate of pirates would be expected
to rise above and help bring victory, but in most other occasions on ship,
he was more or less another voting member in the pirate crew, delegating
most of the everyday tasks to the quartermaster or other junior officer.
In these times, he was to be an even-tempered father who maintained the
barest level of discipline necessary to hold the family venture together.
This father could be voted out and even thrown off if he became passive
or wavering, went against the majority vote, became too brutal, or simply
no longer performed his duties to the liking of the pirate ship crew.

First Mate- A pirate crew sometimes had this
position as the captain's right-hand man and the one who would assume his
role if he were killed in battle or could no longer perform his duties.
This was often considered the job of a lieutenant in a regular navy, and
most pirate crews chose a quartermaster instead of a First Mate.

Quartermaster - Out of their distrust of dictatorial
rule, pirates of the Golden Age placed a large portion of the captain's
traditional role and power into the hands of an elected quartermaster who
became second-in-command and almost a co-captain through his representing
the best interests of the crew.

As
a foreman, he was in charge of maintaining order, distributing rations
and supplies, delegating work, and guarding and dividing plunder. In fighting,
the quartermaster decided what ships were worth it and often led any boarding
party, ultimately deciding what loot to keep. When discipline or punishment
was necessary, only he could give it, but even then it was with the agreement
of the captain or the vote of the pirate crew.

In the worst of situations, he was a sheriff enforcing fairness in duels
or a judge presiding over jury trials for serious crimes committed among
the crew. For all his hard work, the quartermaster received a larger portion
of any plunder and would often be asked to command any highly valued ship
taken in battle.

Boatswain (bos'n) - This position may be compared
to the modern chief petty officer.
A ship of any size would require the boatswain to oversee several junior
officers who would share his responsibility for the crew's morale and work
efficiency as well as the maintenance and repair of the hull, rigging,
lines, cables, sails, and anchors.

Gunner - A
gunner would be the leader of any separate group manning the artillery.
His special skill would be in aiming, but he would oversee the four to
six men required to take the gun through the steps of loading, aiming,
firing, resetting, and swabbing for the next load. He would also work to
ensure the gun crew's safety in avoiding dangerous overheating or excessive
recoiling of the weapon. A master gunner would help to coordinate the timing
and accuracy of the individual crews, especially when a broadside was ordered.

Powder Monkey - This term was first used in
the British Navy for the very young men who made up most gun crews in the
17th century. In contrast to a pirate officer who was elected, these poor
souls were forced to perform what was some of the most dangerous work on
the ship. They were harshly treated and rarely paid, and if they avoided
being mortally wounded in their service, desertion was probably as attractive
as having very little hope of being promoted in the pirate crew.

Carpenter - There could probably be no more
highly regarded artisan in a pirate crew when your life and livelihood
depended on the soundness of the wood around and beneath you. A person
in this apprenticed trade would use their skill to not only repair battle
damage to masts, yards, hatches, and the hull, but to keep the ship's leaky
seams in check with wooden plugs and oakum fibers. He would often have
separate quarters combined with a workspace. Each carpenter would usually
have an assistant in apprenticeship.

Surgeons, Cooks - Yet another highly valued
position, surgeons would often be grabbed from crews of captured ships,
although they would not be ordinarily be asked to sign
the articles. He would be expected to deal with colds, fevers, or sexual
diseases with an assortment of mercurial medicines or other current treatments,
and the carnage of battle often required amputations in hopes of saving
the wounded.

It seems that the ship was possibly more valued than life or limb when
there is no mention of substitute carpenters, but for lack of a surgeon,
a carpenter or even a cook would be asked to fill in. A carpenter would
be certain to have the similar tools and cutting experience, but a cook
as a surgeon would be quite a stretch.

More
often than not, a cook would be a disabled pirate who was allowed to stay
on ship if he could make food that didn't kill the pirate crew. Perhaps
it was felt that if a pirate crew survived his cooking, he could make something
to help heal as a stand-in surgeon.

Cooper - If a pirate captain was fortunate enough
to have a prosperous career, perhaps he could afford the services of a
cooper, a barrel maker.
Most everything not in a crate or canvas bag was in a barrel. Using steel
hoops and strong wood, the cooper would make containers to keep gunpowder
dry, food free of pests, and water and spirits from leaking into the bilge.
With a changing environment and the constant shifting of the cargo, the
hoops and staves of the barrels required constant upkeep to remain intact
and tight.

Musicians - Those
who could play drums, bagpipes, trumpets, accordions, fiddles, and other
instruments were so well liked that they escaped torture if captured by
pirates. With entertainment at a premium on most uneventful days at sea,
they would be expected to play a jig to dance to, lead
a shanty for work tempo, or provide dinner music. Musicians would usually
play prior to and during a battle, blaring out martial tunes, nautical
favorites, or simple loud noise to inspire the crew. Bartholomew
Roberts wrote a provision in his articles stating
that regular Sabbath rest should be provided for his musicians. Roberts
was known for his good treatment of his pirate crew.

Update On My Pirate Crew - Barstool Sports19 Aug 2013 at 3:00pm
Alright, so people have been asking me for an update on my quest to become an actual real life pirate (Original Blog Here). I wish I had better news, believe me I do, but unfortunately I don't. Quizzler has gone complete radio ...